Originally posted by timh The idea of replacing a zoom range with primes is jarring to me, somehow. Just buy the primes necessary, and if it turns out that one needs a range, one should get a zoom.
I agree. However I was referring specifically to replacing anywhere in between 20 - 28mm with one prime, for the wide-normal look that is commonly used in photojournalistic photography (i.e., 35mm on film).
The perfect prime for this is the DA 21 - which is 500 dollars. You could buy a 20mm older prime, but that is still going to run you about 300. Same goes for the 24mm, which are also hard to find. Maybe you can find a 24mm 2.8 for 200. Finally, there is the cheap 28mm 2.8 option, which is closer to 100 dollars, but in the end, its not really the same feel as the classic 35mm lens on film.
So if the OP likes that range, then I think the zoom is worth keeping. The 16-45 is about the same price, or less, than most of it's functional replacements.